Iron Man #95 Cover (Jack Kirby) (1976)
Artists: Jack Kirby (Penciller) , Al Milgrom (Inker)
1,339 Views - 35 Comments - 16 Likes
Artwork Details
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DescriptionSuper-nostalgic and highly memorable Iron Man cover by Jack Kirby and Al Milgrom from 1977. Iron Man vs Ultimo, with the story continuing into Iron Man #96. I loved these issues as a kid, with Iron Man getting really beaten up, cracks everywhere in his damaged armor, but he recharges and comes back to beat the unstoppable Ultimo (by tricking him into burying himself in lava). A great companion piece to my Iron Man #96 cover. Finally, a Kirby IM cover! I'm very happy.Postscript - Having the hero fighting a giant is often a tough issue of perspective and can result in the hero being made small -- here Kirby does a nice job of keeping a large menacing Ultimo with a good sized IM figure. And, just for the heck of it, now for something completely different: {Interlude] [Talking Heads] [♬ And you may ask yourself, "Well . . . how did I get here???" ♬) Jack Kirby only did 6 Iron Man covers (80, 90, 92, 93, 94 and 95). Besides being very nostalgic for me, each Kirby IM cover was a gem and the #80 and the #95 especially were in my top ten Want List of IM covers. After some searching around, and help from collectors, I found the "vault" that had a number of them. For years I tried to obtain one, focusing mainly on the #80 but also asking about the #95. The vault seemed like a nice person but he had no real desire to sell or trade any of them, and especially did not want to lose a single Kirby cover, no matter what creative offers I came up with. It seemed we could just not get on the same page. After more than ten years of off-and-on discussions and emails, of thinking we were close but never quite getting there, I gave up and moved on. {Interlude] [Talking Heads] [♬ And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful house" And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife" ♬) . . . (♬ Same as it ever was, same as it ever was ♬) Sometime much later, the vault contacted me that the #80 was changing hands and asked me if I wanted to get involved. For a variety of reasons, including that it was well past the proverbial 11th hour and I didn't want to potentially be a stalking horse, I decided not to get involved. Time passed. {Interlude] [Talking Heads] (♬ And you may ask yourself, "Am I right? Am I wrong?" And you may say to yourself, "My God! What have I done?" ♬) Over time, I missed the #80 and regretted that in all those years I couldn't secure it. But, eventually, I put it behind me and re-engaged with the vault about the #95. After some further discussion, however, I started to get the feeling that the vault didn't actually own the #95 cover (!?!). {Interlude] [Talking Heads] (♬ And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself, "Well...how did I get here?" ♬) And just as I was coming to that realization, serendipity struck. I got an email from a friend that the #95 cover was in Heritage Previews! Whoa! And I confirmed with the vault--he hadn't consigned it. From that moment until I won the #95 cover, I remained resolute that I would do what I had to do to get it. When I was prepping my HA phone representative for the live bidding, I told him the most important point - "Do not let this lot close unless I'm the winner or I've clearly told you that 'I'm Out.'" Thankfully I won it. "Well...how DID I get here?" With perseverance. And luck. Art odyssey finally over. Mission accomplished. Breathe. Enjoy. And, lastly, thanks to my friends for all their support during these years, especially Simon in California. * * * *Note, sorry but any comment trying to guess who the vault is will be deleted.* Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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Reggie C.
Member Since 2005
Posted on 12/13/2021
Great cover and a lot of hard work. I remember this period of time as a young IM collector as well. Since you added the story, was the vault stringing you along saying that he had this cover, when he/she really didn't? Or did you just assume the vault had it initially?
Daren Domina 
Member Since 2006
Posted on 12/14/2021
Reggie C. wrote:
Great cover and a lot of hard work. I remember this period of time as a young IM collector as well. Since you added the story, was the vault stringing you along saying that he had this cover, when he/she really didn't? Or did you just assume the vault had it initially?
Thanks for the comment. At an early point, he either said or suggested he had the #95 cover.
Will Gabri-El
Member Since 2004
Posted on 12/14/2021
Great collection piece Daren...and agreed, Kirby Iron Man covers are difficult to find, let alone get AND imho among Jack's Best 70's work --Big Congrats!
Andy Wurst
Member Since 2004
Posted on 12/14/2021
Fantastic Iron Man Cover and in addition to it already being awesome, it is a Jack KIRBY! HUGE congrats.
REDEMAGNI CLAUDIO
Member Since 2016
Posted on 12/14/2021
Woww wonderful cover, congratulations Daren
John S.
Member Since 2005
Posted on 12/14/2021
As much as i love you mate, stop referencing me as the vault. I told you i would only sell you 10 of my 50 IM covers, enough is enough already....
Now back to reality, Great pick up, great cover, super happy for you.
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
Posted on 12/14/2021
Give me one cover in time
When I would have bought 95 or 80
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And my final bids are all up to me
Give me one Kirby this time
An Iron Man is my destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel...
I will feel...
Eternity!
Daren Domina
Member Since 2006
1 - Posted on 12/14/2021
Marcus Wai wrote:
Give me one cover in time
When I would have bought 95 or 80
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And my final bids are all up to me
Give me one Kirby this time
An Iron Man is my destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel...
I will feel...
Eternity!
A unique comment - thank you. Maybe not Eternity but yes, absolutely, a very long term keeper.
Ron S
Member Since 2007
1 - Posted on 12/14/2021
Congrats!!! Good to know that this ended up in the collection where it belonged. And, thanks for the story of the chase. That's what makes the hobby so interesting.
Joe Shaffer
Member Since 2010
Posted on 12/14/2021
Am I the vault? Darn it ... I'm not :(
great cover, it's where it belongs, congrats Darren
Rick W
Member Since 2017
Posted on 12/14/2021
A once in a lifetime cover has found the right home! Congrats!
Dino Mauricio
Member Since 2009
Posted on 12/14/2021
Fantastic Kirby cover that's all the sweeter after your extended chase. This piece is finally home, congrats Daren!
Lee Benaka
Member Since 2004
Posted on 12/14/2021
Stunning art and a fabulous write-up! This is the piece that jumped out to me more than almost anything in the recent Heritage auctions. Kirby's mid-1970s Marvel covers, especially for the Avengers and Iron Man, were magic. Huge congrats, and thanks for sharing this treasure with us!
Paul P Spiderversity
Member Since 2011
Posted on 12/14/2021
I sometimes feel sorry for non-art-collecting people, because they will never experience the utter joy of completing a quest like the one you wrote about, a saga that results in a prize that is (in your case) one of the VERY BEST Iron Man covers EVER!!! Thank you for sharing that story with us, and also for sharing this magnificent Jack Kirby cover with us. CONGRATS !!!!
Mark Levy
Member Since 2004
Posted on 12/14/2021
Congratulations on acquiring this cool Kirby cover - Iron Man has some heavy hitter fans for sure so congrats on getting one of these!
David Askani’Son
Member Since 2012
Forum Moderator
Posted on 12/14/2021
Man o man do I love these stories of Victory!!! Congrats on this beautiful gem, it definitely went to a great home :)
J L
Member Since 2005
Posted on 12/15/2021
Daren---so glad this story has a happy ending. Thanks for sharing it and congrats on taking this down!!!! 8 )
Kirk Dilbeck (3-Wishes and Patron-of-art)
Member Since 2006
Posted on 12/15/2021
An excellent cover and even better story of actually catching the white whale! Huge congrats Darren!!!
matt d.
Member Since 2018
Posted on 12/15/2021
OMG (hey, I’m the first OMG on user comments?). This is the most extensive description I've ever seen on CAF - but great story, thanks. Congrats. What a powerful Kirby cover. NFS??? ;-)
Joe Murray
Member Since 2006
Posted on 12/17/2021
My older brother bought this one off the stands, and I've enjoyed it ever since—sucha cool Kirby cover and great story to go with it, bigtime congrats!!
Imran A
Member Since 2011
Posted on 12/18/2021
Fantastic piece, congratulations on adding it to your stellar collection!
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor
Member Since 2015
Posted on 12/19/2021
Wow Daren! Just wow! So few Kirby Iron Man covers! Congrats!
Nils E
Member Since 2014
Posted on 1/3/2022
You need to be an Iron lion to bag this massive Kirby cover. Once in a lifetime!
Bill J
Member Since 2009
Posted on 3/7/2022
Gotta love Jack Kirby on Iron Man! Awesome scene with Iron Man turning in midflight to attack Ultimo! Gorgeous inks by Al Milgrom really put the polish on this one! Great pick-up!
R Shur
Member Since 2004
Posted on 5/1/2022
In general I'm more a fan of Jck's 60's and early 70's work but this is simply outstanding!
Michael Greczek
Member Since 2003
Posted on 7/13/2025
The layout and action are all Kirby. Not a fan of Milgrom inks, however. Wood was still alive at this point. If I was Roy, I would have brought him in to ink Kirby exclusively. And I would have paid Wood well to do inks. Covers like this would have popped, as well as the Kirby Captain America Bi-Centennial series.
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